Environmental Controversy
Why is it important to understand the role of science in environmental controversy?
Understanding the role in which science plays in an environmental controversy is a crucial element for a comprehensive analysis. The use of scientific knowledge is often represented as a fundamental principle within environmental controversies. The centralized view of science relates to many factors. Firstly, the assumptions of science as an authority lend it to be a privileged type of knowledge. Secondly, as the status of science is portrayed as privileged, various groups or players within the controversy utilize this resource as a power of authority over other knowledge. The struggles over knowledge claims still reside in environmental controversies. However, …show more content…
Science has presented practical significants to the progressive world, however, it is impossible to distinguish science from social or political agendas. With that said, the public perception has too changed its views. Nelkin (1995) argues that, in light of the advancements that science has uncovered, these developments expose the underlining tensions between moral and ethics, expressing the political and social undercurrents embedded within science and environmental controversies. Therefore, the position of scientific knowledge within a controversy is dependant on many factors between political and social objectives. Webster (1991) confirms, “Science is rooted in the society which creates them”. Even within the scientific community, disputes over scientific ‘facts’ are seen to be flexible and negotiated to correspond to the image of ‘good science’ (Dolby 1972, p.317, cited in Webster 1991). As science remains to be one of the most important fundamental platforms in environmental controversies, it is important to factor in the social or political agendas within the knowledge claim. Webster (1991) concludes that, science should therefore not be considered a privileged resource unbound from social …show more content…
Dryzek, J 1997, The Politics of the Earth: Environmental Discourses. Oxford University Press, Oxford, New York, pp. 3-22.
Irwin, A 1995, Citizen Science: a study of people, expertise and sustainable development. Routledge, London. pp. 40-61.
Martin, B & Richards, E 1995, Scientific knowledge, controversy and public decision-making In Sheila Jansanoff et al. (eds) Handbook of Science and Technology Studies. Sage, Thousand Oaks. pp. 505-526.
Mcmullin, E 1987, Scientific Controversy and its termination, in Tristram Engelhardt and Arthur Caplan (eds), Scientific Controversies. Case studies in the resolution and closure of disputes in science and technology, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp.49-91.
Nelkin, D 1995, 'Science controversies.' In Sheila Jansanoff et al. (eds) Handbook of Science and Technology Studies. Sage, Thousand Oaks. pp.444-456.
Reid, D 1995, Sustainable Development – An Introductory Guide. Earthscan, London. pp. 3-23.
Webster, A 1991, Science, Technology and Society, Macmillan, Basingstoke, pp.1-14.
Wynne, B 1989, Sheepfarming after Chernobyl. A case study in communicating scientific information. Environment. 31/2,
Understanding the role in which science plays in an environmental controversy is a crucial element for a comprehensive analysis. The use of scientific knowledge is often represented as a fundamental principle within environmental controversies. The centralized view of science relates to many factors. Firstly, the assumptions of science as an authority lend it to be a privileged type of knowledge. Secondly, as the status of science is portrayed as privileged, various groups or players within the controversy utilize this resource as a power of authority over other knowledge. The struggles over knowledge claims still reside in environmental controversies. However, …show more content…
Science has presented practical significants to the progressive world, however, it is impossible to distinguish science from social or political agendas. With that said, the public perception has too changed its views. Nelkin (1995) argues that, in light of the advancements that science has uncovered, these developments expose the underlining tensions between moral and ethics, expressing the political and social undercurrents embedded within science and environmental controversies. Therefore, the position of scientific knowledge within a controversy is dependant on many factors between political and social objectives. Webster (1991) confirms, “Science is rooted in the society which creates them”. Even within the scientific community, disputes over scientific ‘facts’ are seen to be flexible and negotiated to correspond to the image of ‘good science’ (Dolby 1972, p.317, cited in Webster 1991). As science remains to be one of the most important fundamental platforms in environmental controversies, it is important to factor in the social or political agendas within the knowledge claim. Webster (1991) concludes that, science should therefore not be considered a privileged resource unbound from social …show more content…
Dryzek, J 1997, The Politics of the Earth: Environmental Discourses. Oxford University Press, Oxford, New York, pp. 3-22.
Irwin, A 1995, Citizen Science: a study of people, expertise and sustainable development. Routledge, London. pp. 40-61.
Martin, B & Richards, E 1995, Scientific knowledge, controversy and public decision-making In Sheila Jansanoff et al. (eds) Handbook of Science and Technology Studies. Sage, Thousand Oaks. pp. 505-526.
Mcmullin, E 1987, Scientific Controversy and its termination, in Tristram Engelhardt and Arthur Caplan (eds), Scientific Controversies. Case studies in the resolution and closure of disputes in science and technology, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp.49-91.
Nelkin, D 1995, 'Science controversies.' In Sheila Jansanoff et al. (eds) Handbook of Science and Technology Studies. Sage, Thousand Oaks. pp.444-456.
Reid, D 1995, Sustainable Development – An Introductory Guide. Earthscan, London. pp. 3-23.
Webster, A 1991, Science, Technology and Society, Macmillan, Basingstoke, pp.1-14.
Wynne, B 1989, Sheepfarming after Chernobyl. A case study in communicating scientific information. Environment. 31/2,